NBA Draft 2014: Analyzing Prospects Sure to Be 2nd-Round Steals

As the 2014 NBA draft draws closer, the abundance of rumors and smoke screens continues to grow. Sifting through all of this can be a perplexing task.

If there's one thing we do know about this year's draft, it's that there is a plethora of first-round talent. In fact, there's so much talent that prospects who may have been first-round selections in a different year could slide into the second round.

It's these players who will become huge steals in 2014.

Based on what we know about the potential outlook of the first round, let's take a look at a few prospects who could bring great value as second-round selections.

Cory Jefferson, PF, Baylor

If Jefferson does slide into the second round of the draft, one lucky team will come away with a player who can be a solid rotational player sooner rather than later.

At the draft combine, Jefferson measured 6'9" with shoes on with an 8'9" standing reach and 7'0.5" wingspan. At 218.4 pounds, he certainly fits the size specifications of an NBA power forward.

Here's a look at his wingspan measurement, courtesy of a tweet from NBA Draft:

The knock on Jefferson is his inconsistent shooting. Although, he improved from downtown during his final season at Baylor, and his on-court drills at the combine solidified that fact.

Jefferson looked good in spot-up shooting drills, connecting on 14 of 25 attempts from behind the arc and 15 of 25 attempts from 15 feet.

Even spending an early second-round pick on Jefferson will be a worthwhile endeavor for any NBA franchise.

Markel Brown, SG, Oklahoma State

Brown fell to the wayside a bit, as Marcus Smart garnered all of the attention in Oklahoma State's backcourt. However, Brown is still one of the most athletic players in this year's draft class.

At Oklahoma State, Brown showed his ability to score from anywhere on the court. Last season, he averaged 17.2 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point range.

Brown isn't huge, measuring 6'3.5" with shoes on at the combine; however, he makes up for his height with plenty of athleticism.

Take a look at this Vine from Best of Basketball:

That's what he brings.

As a second-rounder, he's a steal in a big way.

DeAndre Kane, PG/SG, Iowa State

It seems as though Kane's age may affect his draft stock. By the time the draft rolls around, he'll be 25. That's just plain silly.

Sure, he's not an 18-year-old Dante Exum type, but he certainly has a solid seven years of contribution in the NBA ahead.

Kane was dynamic on the Cyclones' high-octane offense last season. He averaged 17.1 points per game, 6.8 rebounds per game and 5.9 assists per game. A solid shooter, he connected on 48.3 percent of his shots from the field and 39.8 percent from downtown.

The Cyclones' official Twitter account posted a telling statistic of Kane's effectiveness:

At the combine, Kane showed decent size for a guard, measuring 6'4.5" with shoes on and coming in weighing 199.9 pounds.

With plenty of experience under his belt and the physical tools to get the job done on both ends of the court, Kane could be one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this year's draft.